A babewyn was a grotesque figure used in architecture or decoration" (early 14c.); a gargoyle. The name comes from the French babouin meaning a "baboon”.
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1 year ago
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“I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me.” - Winnie the Pooh
"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."
My Main Blog
Introduction
My daughter Helen commented in November 2008 in her Blog that she was now keeping a notebook of new words that she came across during her reading. "This week I bought a lovely little leather bound book to write new words in as I read them . I've added a few from "1984", but my favourite has to be persiflage (from the French persifler) which means banter." I later discovered that my older daughter, Bryony, also kept a similar notebook.
This inspired me to create a Word blog. This will include both new words, favourite words and the origins of phrases that we commonly use. A definition and some comment, perhaps even a relevant quotation, will acompany the word or phrase.
This inspired me to create a Word blog. This will include both new words, favourite words and the origins of phrases that we commonly use. A definition and some comment, perhaps even a relevant quotation, will acompany the word or phrase.
“I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words bother me.” - Winnie the Pooh
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January
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January
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Gargoyles I know, don't think I ever heard the word babewyn. You do manage to come up with some intriguing ones!
ReplyDeleteCould you post the pronounciation?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hello from the midst of own Arctic blast here in the Southern USA, where houses were built for our long hot summers, not frigid winters. Mine in 1931 was built wiht the heart of the pines felled to clear the land.
Dottie
Oh, they do creep me out!
ReplyDeleteSorry Dottie but I haven't found a site that has babewyn on it so I don't know how it was pronounced. As with many of the words I post it came from a book I was reading.
ReplyDeleteSorry not to have seen this site before. I was just looking up the word as my late husband was called "surely one of the finest carvers of babewyns in the country" (Oxford's gargoyles and Grotesques Charon Press 1986 ISBN 0 9511028 0 X)
DeleteI would think that as it comes from the French 'babouin' it would be pronounced bab win - anglicising the win.
I like your quotation "you have to be well to cope with being ill". I am in that situation except that I am not ill but deteriorating through old age!
I'm looking forward to looking at your main blog.
Eileen Groser
Thanks for the pronunciation, Eileen. That's quite a tribute to your late husband! Welcome to the blog and I hope you like my main one though I have to confess to having had a bad few weeks and not blogged on it!
DeleteThe word appears in Bloodstone, a Brother Athelstan mystery byPaul Doherty. He comes up with a lot of unusual words.
ReplyDeleteI love that series but had forgotten he used the word in Bloodstone. Thanks John.
Delete